Africa Regulatory Ensight 2020 | 06 *Coronavirus (COVID-19) Regulatory Measures 3
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Africa regulatory ENSight 2020 | 06 *Coronavirus (COVID-19) regulatory measures 3 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (“COMESA”) sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Transport Guidelines for Movement of Goods and Published on 10 June 2020 The Guidelines: Services Across the COMESA Region by COMESA, as adopted by • are aimed at facilitating the movement of goods and services during During the COVID-19 Pandemic the 8th Extra-Ordinary the COVID-19 pandemic without amending or replacing any Council of Ministers’ provisions of the COMESA Treaty; Meeting on 14 May 2020. • provide a basis for the regional private sector, including freight companies, to engage respective governments to implement the recommendations to address the current challenges affecting the flow of goods and services within the region; and • considered similar guidelines developed by the East African Community (“EAC”) and the Southern African Development Community (“SADC”) in response to the COVID-19 to ensure they complement and not conflict. 4 Southern African Development Community (“SADC”) sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Transport SADC/CM-EM/3/2020/2A: SADC Published on 23 June 2020 The Guidelines: Guidelines on Harmonisation and by SADC. • are aimed at: Facilitation of Cross Border Transport • limiting the spread of COVID-19 through transport across borders; Operations across the Region During the • facilitating the implementation of transport related national COVID- COVID-19 Pandemic: Revision No. 1 19 measures in cross border transportation; • facilitating interstate flow of goods and services; • establishing safe measures to allow movement of passengers across borders; • balancing, aligning, harmonising and coordinating COVID-19 response measures with the requirements for trade and transport facilitation; and • facilitating the adoption and implementation of harmonised Standard Operating Procedures for Management and Monitoring of Cross Border Road Transport at Designated Points of Entry and Covid-19 Checkpoints [see below]. Transport SADC/CM-EM/3/2020/2B: Regional Published on 23 June 2020 The Standard Operating Procedures (“SOPs”): Standard Operating Procedures for by SADC. • aim at facilitating the safe transportation of all passengers, goods Management and Monitoring of Cross and services and promoting business continuity and resumption of Border Road Transport at Designated cross borders activities across the region while preventing the Points of Entry and COVID-19 Checkpoints spread of COVID-19 across the SADC region; • provide guidance on specific measures which will be implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through cross-border road transport; and • will assist member states to implement the Corridor Trip Monitoring System (“CTMS”) which is under development and other systems as may be agreed by member states, for management of: • the registration of cross border trips; 5 Southern African Development Community (“SADC”) sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Transport SADC/CM-EM/3/2020/2B: Regional Published on 23 June 2020 • recording, monitoring and surveillance of driver wellness, Standard Operating Procedures for by SADC. including medical test results for specified communicable Management and Monitoring of Cross diseases such as COVID-19; Border Road Transport at Designated • tracking of vehicles, loads and drivers; Points of Entry and COVID-19 Checkpoints • contact tracing; … Continued • queue management at ports, border posts and other facilities; and • statistical analysis and reporting. 6 Angola sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Transport Executive Decree No. 181/20 (Measures Effective from 12 June 2020. The Executive Decree: for the Prevention and Control of the • revokes all acts carried out by the organs, institutions, companies Spread of SARS-VOC-2 and COVID-19 for and services assigned to the transport sector contrary to the the Duration of the Public Disaster provisions of this Executive Decree; Situation in the Transport Sector) of 12 • defines concrete prevention and control measures to prevent the June 2020 spread of SARS-VOC-2 and COVID-19 for the duration of the Public Disaster Situation in the Transport Sector; • regulates air, sea and port, rail, and road passenger and freight transport; and • regulates the specific measures of each subsector of the transport sector. Transport Joint Executive Decree No. 180/20 Effective from 12 June 2020. The Joint Executive Decree: (National and International Travel During • regulates all national and international trips made during the period the Situation of Public Calamity) of 12 of Situation of Public Calamity; June 2020 • applies to the entire national territory and to travel to, and from abroad, such as: • the return of national and resident foreigners; • travel of foreign citizens to their countries; • official travel; • entry and exit of cargo; • merchandise and tax orders; • humanitarian aid; • medical emergencies and technical stopovers; • transmission of corpses, humanitarian aid; and • the entry and exit of diplomatic personnel; • regulates the defence and control of borders; 7 Angola sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Transport Joint Executive Decree No. 180/20 Effective from 12 June 2020. • regulates the types and requirements of authorised travel; (National and International Travel During • establishes that nationwide passenger air travel begins on the day the Situation of Public Calamity) of 12 on which the lifting of the sanitary fence to Luanda Province is June 2020 … Continued decreed and that air travel starts from 30 June, subject to confirmation by the national health authorities; • establishes a mandatory requirement for prior testing, up to eight days before the date of travel, and requires a 14-day institutional quarantine for those who return to the country; and • provides that international passenger travel by sea and road is not permitted for the duration of the Situation of Public Calamity. Immigration Executive Decree No. 186/20 of 25 June Effective from 25 June 2020. The Executive Decree validates until 31 August 2020 documents that 2020 have expired or will expire, including residence permits, refugee cards, investor visas, work visas, study visas and temporary residence visas of foreign nationals absent from Angola and foreign nationals who are in Angola, but have not renewed their documents, ensuring their stay until the ban on the movement of persons at border posts is lifted. Health and safety Joint Executive Decree No. 184/20 Effective from 25 June 2020. The Joint Executive Decree: (Sanitary Fence in Luanda Province) of 25 • provides for the enforcement of the sanitary fence in Luanda June 2020 Province from 00:00 on 26 June 2020 until 23:59 on 10 July 2020; and • provides that while the sanitary fence is in force, the borders of Luanda Province are subject to sanitary control, as defined by the competent authorities. 8 Botswana sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Corporate / Companies Re-Registration Act (Extension Published in the Botswana The Order extends the transitional period specified under section 2 of Commercial of Transitional Period of Re-Registration of Government Gazette on 29 the Companies Re-Registration Act No. 24 of 2018 from 3 June 2020 to Existing Companies) Order, 2020, May 2020. 2 December 2020. Statutory Instrument No. 83 of 2020 Corporate / Registration of Business Names Re- Published in the Botswana The Order extends the transitional period specified under section 2 of Commercial Registration Act (Extension of Transitional Government Gazette on 29 the Registration of Business Names Re-Registration Act No. 26 of 2018 Period of Re-Registration of Existing May 2020. from 3 June 2020 to 2 December 2020. Business Names) Order, 2020, Statutory Instrument No. 84 of 2020 Finance NBFIRA 3/3/10-I (22): Record Keeping and Published in June 2020 by The Notice provides that: Customer Identification and Prominent the Non-Bank Financial • the NBFIRA, in consultation with the Financial Intelligence Agency and Influential Persons Guidance Notes to Institutions Regulatory (“FIA”), and in accordance with section 44(l)(b) of the Financial the Non-Banking Financial Institutions Authority (“NBFIRA”). Intelligence Act of 2019 (“FI Act”) has issued two Guidance Notes (“NBFIS”) on: • record keeping and customer identification (available at http://www.nbfira.org.bw/guidance-note-record-keeping- customer-identification); and • prominent and influential persons (available at http://www.nbfira.org.bw/guidance-note-prominent- influential-persons-%E2%80%9Cpips%E2%80%9D); and • the Guidance Notes are meant to help regulated entities, otherwise referred to as specified parties in the FI Act, to comply with their obligations under the Act. 9 Botswana sector measure effective date/status key points and impact Tax Guidance Note: Income Tax (COVID-19) Published on 2 June 2020 by The Guidance Note: Deferment of Self-Assessment Tax 2020 the Botswana Unified • serves to explain the basis for the application for deferment of Revenue Service (“BURS”). corporate income taxes due during the period 1 March 2020 to 30 September 2020 and how it is applicable to taxpayers in accordance with the Income Tax (COVID-19) (Deferment of Self-Assessment Tax) Order, 2020, Statutory Instrument No. 73 of 2020; • provides guidelines on persons eligible, payments that can be deferred, amounts deferred, due dates for payment of amounts